In vitro studies of Norwegian Red bovine semen immobilized and cryopreserved in alginate solid gel network

Development of new semen cryopreservation techniques improving sperm survival and ensuring availability of viable spermatozoa for a prolonged time‐period after AI is promising tools to reduce sensitivity of timing of AI and enhance overall fertility. The SpermVital^® technology utilizes immobilization of bull spermatozoa in a solid network of alginate gel prior to freezing, which will provide a gradual release of spermatozoa after AI. The objective of this study was to compare post‐thaw sperm quality and in vitro sperm survival over time of Norwegian Red bull semen processed by the SpermVital^® (SV) technology, the first commercialized production line of SpermVital^® (C) and by conventional procedure applying Biladyl^® extender (B). Post‐thaw sperm motility was not significantly different between SV, C and B semen (p > .05). However, sperm viability and acrosome intactness were higher for SV than C and B semen (p < .05). Small differences in DNA quality were observed (p < .05). Sperm viability after storage in uterus ex vivo was higher for SV than for C semen (p < .05). Furthermore, sperm survival in vitro over time at physiological temperature was significantly higher for SV semen than C semen as well as B semen during the incubation period of 48 hr (p < .05). In conclusion, the SpermVital^® technology is improved and is more efficient in conserving post‐thaw sperm quality and results in higher sperm viability over time in vitro for SV than for C and B semen.     

Spatial integration of freshwater fish markets in the Northern Baltic Sea area

Freshwater fish species and Baltic salmon (Salmo salar) are important to small-scale fisheries in Finland and Sweden. The formerly local markets for these species have expanded as trade has been opened up to international competition. In this study we use cointegration analysis to test the spatial integration of freshwater fish markets in Finland and between Finland and Sweden. The analysed fish species are salmon, perch (Perca fluviatilis), pikeperch (Sander lucioperca), European whitefish (Goregonus lavaretus) and pike (Exos lucius), and the data covers ex-vessel prices from 1993 or 1995 to 2004. We found that the regional prices in Finland were cointegrated. This indicates that the prices are determined on a single market in Finland. Moreover, the study suggests that Finnish and Swedish markets in Baltic salmon, whitefish, pikeperch and perch were partially integrated, while integration of pike markets could not be found. The political implication is that an essential part of the local small-scale fisheries’ operational environment is determined outside the national borders.     

Calcification of the intervertebral discs and curvature of the radius and ulna: a radiographic survey of Finnish miniature dachshunds

The vertebral column of 124 randomly selected miniature dachshunds, representing 4.5% of the population registered by the Finnish Kennel Club during the years 1988 to 1996, were radiographed. The front legs were also radiographed in order to evaluate the curvature of the radius and ulna. Calcified discs were found in 75.9% of the longhaired miniature dachshunds and in 86.7% of the wirehaired ones. The occurrence of signs associated with IDD was 16.5% in longhaired and 15.6% in wirehaired miniature dachshunds. The occurrence of signs of IDD in dogs with calcified discs was 20.0% and 17.9% in longhaired and wirehaired miniature dachshunds, respectively. In dogs without calcifications only one dog showed signs of IDD. The curvature of the radius and the ulna did not differ between the dogs with signs of IDD and the healthy ones, or between the dogs with and without intervertebral calcifications. Our results indicate that radiographic eradication based on the presence of intervertebral calcifications is not suitable for breeding purposes for the Finnish miniature dachshund population because the percentage of dogs without calcifications is small.     

Radiation synovectomy with holmium-166 ferric hydroxide macroaggregate in equine metacarpophalangeal and metatarsophalangeal joints

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effects of radiation synovectomy (RSYN) with holmium-166 ferric hydroxide macroaggregate (Ho-166 FHMA) on synovium and synovial fluid in normal metacarpo- and metatarsophalangeal joints of horses and to determine intraarticular distribution of radioactivity after Ho-166 FHMA treatment. STUDY DESIGN: Either Ho-166 FHMA or nonradioactive Ho-165 FHMA was injected into metacarpo- or metatarsophalangeal joints. ANIMALS: Six adult mixed-breed horses without any clinical evidence of metacarpo- or metatarsophalangeal joint disease. METHODS: Joints were injected with a single high dose of Ho-166 FHMA (mean, 1,000 MBq/joint) or a nonradioactive Ho-165 FHMA preparation (controls). Clinical examination, arthroscopy, synovial fluid analyses, and histologic studies were performed to detect effects of RSYN. Scintigraphy was used to localize intraarticular distribution of Ho-166 FHMA. RESULTS: Ho-166 FHMA treatment induced joint inflammation leading to regional edema, effusion, and scar tissue formation. Scintigraphy revealed the highest intensity of radioactivity in the proximal plantar joint pouch, at which the Ho-166 FHMA treatment caused multifocal necrosis. In the dorsal joint pouch, however, arthroscopic study and histologic analysis showed very little effect of RSYN. There was no regeneration of synovium evident within 2 months. Synovial fluid protein concentration was significantly (P <.01) elevated, and some residual radioactivity remained for 5 days after Ho-166 FHMA injection. CONCLUSIONS: Injection of a single high dose of Ho-166 FHMA caused multifocal necrosis of synovium and deep, soft-tissue injury in equine fetlock joints. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Inflamed equine joints with synovial lining hyperplasia could benefit from Ho-166 FHMA-induced radiation synovectomy if excessive scar tissue formation can be avoided.     

The effect of granulosa cells on maturation, fertilization and cleavage in vitro

Addition of granulosa cells (GC) (1.10(6)/ml) affected maturation of non-ovulatory oocytes of cattle and caused delay in nuclear maturation (60.8 versus 35.3 or 37.1 percent). In vitro use of pre-incubated GC in the process of maturation led to higher rates of fertilisation (49.4 versus 25.2 or 21.0 percent) and of cleavage (29.6 versus 13.3 or 9.1 percent). No explanation has yet been found for different oocyte behaviours in response to use of fresh or pre-incubated GC. Transfer of seven embryos from maturation with GC as well as in vitro fertilisation and development to four recipients resulted in the birth of one female calf.     

Site preparation: Water relations and growth of newly planted jack pine and white spruce

Bareroot jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) and white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) were planted near Elliot Lake, Ontario, on a boreal reforestation site. Site preparation treatments were mixed, mineral and undisturbed (i.e., control) soil. Seedling water relations and growth were examined during the first field season. During the first 28 days after planting, jack pine base (i.e., predawn) and minimum xylem water potential readings were more negative in the control site preparation treatment. White spruce, during the first 10 days, in all site preparation treatments had base and minimum xylem water potential readings more negative than –1.7 MPa. By day 28 base xylem water potentials of white spruce had increased to approximately –1.0 MPa in all site preparation treatments. As the growing season progressed, white spruce minimum xylem water potential readings ceased exceeding the measured turgor loss point first in the mixed followed by the mineral and then control site preparation treatment. Jack pine minimum xylem water potential readings, in all site preparation treatments, almost never exceeded the measured turgor loss point. Water stress and stomatal optimization integrals, day 28 and 125, for both species showed least water stress and greater stomatal optimization in the mixed, mineral and control site preparation treatments, respectively. Both species had less new root growth in the field during the first 28 days after planting compared to seedlings grown for 28 days in a greenhouse for root growth capacity testing. Root growth at 28 days and both shoot and root development at the end of the growing season, were greatest to least in mixed, mineral, and control site preparation treatments, respectively.     

Transverse shrinkage in G-fibers as a function of cell wall layering and growth strain

Transverse drying shrinkage was measured at microscopic and mesoscopic levels in poplar wood characterised by an increasing growth strain (GS), from normal to tension wood. Results show that: (a) the drying shrinkage, measured as a relative thickness decrease, was significantly higher for G-layer (GL) than for the other layers (OL), GL shrinkage was not significantly correlated with GS, and OL shrinkage was negatively correlated with GS. (b) In gelatinous fibre (G-fibre), lumen size increased during drying and this increase was positively related with GS, but in normal wood fibre, lumen size decreased during drying. These findings suggest that GL shrank outwards (i.e., its internal perimeter increases), so that its shrinkage weakly affected the total cell shrinkage and the mesoscopic shrinkage was controlled by the OL shrinkage which shrank inwards (i.e., its external perimeter decreases). (c) Measurements done on 7 × 7 mm2 thin sections evidenced a negative correlation between transverse shrinkage and GS, significant in T direction but weak in R direction. These observations at both levels allow to discuss the contribution of GL to the mesoscopic shrinkage of tension wood.     

Do different agronomic soil tests identify similar nutrient deficiencies?

Traditionally, locally calibrated soil tests were used for fertilizer and lime recommendations. Farmers and advisors are increasingly using new ‘universal’ soil tests without local calibration. The objective of this study was to compare five commercially available soil tests and to determine whether they would provide similar recommendations. In total, 24 fields in Western Finland were sampled for 4 years while being treated with fertilizers, lime and manure. The soil samples were analysed with Mehlich-3, ammonium acetate, H3A, hydrochloric acid and mild acetic acid (Spurway) extractants. In addition, Soil Health Tool (CO₂ burst, water-soluble C and N) and tissue testing were conducted. The different tests extracted different orders of magnitude of nutrients (especially P and Mg), but the results from the different extractions were correlated. Mehlich-3 degree of phosphorus saturation (DPS) presented a threshold, below which soluble phosphorus was not detected. Similar thresholds were found for P, S and Mg. Mehlich-3 and ammonium acetate provided similar results for Ca, Mg and K and can be used interchangeably for liming recommendations. Mehlich-3 identified more fields with Zn, Cu, B and S deficiencies and less fields with Mn deficiencies compared with ammonium acetate + EDTA and tissue testing. The tests had strong correlation, but the determination of nutrient deficiencies needs local calibration of deficiency limits.     

Carbon partitioning in ectomycorrhizal Scots pine seedlings

The complete carbon budget and the turnover rate of assimilated carbon of ectomycorrhizal Scots pine seedlings growing on natural humus were determined in microcosm conditions. The main aim was to improve understanding of the partitioning of the assimilated carbohydrates within seedlings associated with multiple ectomycorrhizal fungi, and to discover carbon dynamics of the mycorrhizosphere.Plant photosynthesis and below-ground respiration were measured in order to obtain the actual carbon assimilation and respiration rates at the time of measurements. Soon after the photosynthesis and respiration rate measurements the seedlings were pulse-labeled with ¹⁴CO₂ to follow carbon allocation to different plant, fungal and soil compartments and rhizosphere respiration. Long-term carbon allocation during the entire life span of the seedlings was estimated by measuring plant and mycorrhizal root-tip biomass. The ectomycorrhizal community was analyzed using morphotyping and ITS-sequencing.The ¹⁴C label was detected in rhizosphere respiration after 12 h and it peaked between 36 and 60 h after labeling. More than half of the assimilated carbon was allocated below-ground as biomass or respiration and higher mycorrhizal biomass increased the below-ground carbon turnover. The presence of Suillus variegatus affected the plant carbon balance in several ways. When S. variegatus was present, the below-ground respiration increased and this carbon loss was compensated by higher photosynthetic activity. Other fungal species did not differ between each other in their effects on carbon balance. Our findings indicate that some root-associated mycorrhizal fungal symbionts can significantly alter plant CO₂ exchange, biomass distribution, and the allocation of recently photosynthesized plant-derived carbon.     

European restructuring and changing agricultural policies. Rural self-identity and modes of life in late modernity

The main idea of this article is to present various perspectives in order to analyze the recent crisis concerning the agriculture-based rural societies in the developed capitalist communities. In all of these countries there is a production crisis, resulting in too much food. But this is also an ideological crisis, because the consumer thinks that the food is produced at too high a price. And it is a political crisis as well because a major part of the voters think subsidies and trade barriers are too high. The paper argues that beneath the present agricultural and rural policy crisis lies the failure of three great projects of our time: 1) The project of natural science; 2) The project of liberal capitalism; and 3) The project of scientific socialism. The failure of these three projects has to do with the breakdown of the positivist idea of modernization. Modernization theory was partly wrong because it overlooked the persistence of locally based life modes. Those life modes must be understood before a sustainable rural development is found. The article reviews some contemporary social science perspectives that have recently been developed to grasp the fundamental changes of today's rural societies. Based on those perspectives and primarily the life mode perspective, five key elements that are essential to analyze if we want to understand future development are isolated: food production, resources, space, social diversity, and culture.Reidar Almås is a Professor of Sociology at the University of Trondheim, Norway, where he directs the Center for Rural Research. He received his Dr. philos. at the University of Trondheim with a dissertation on group farms. Almås is now doing research on food policies, rural development, and public perception of biotechnology. In addition to several books in Norwegian, he has publishedRural Norway, a gift to Europe. Fifteen selected articles on rural persistence and change.